Main navigation

Fresh Cherry Pie

After making the brown sugar cakes from the first picking of cherries this year I did a second picking and we froze a couple of freezer bags full of pitted cherries.

I also wanted to make a cherry pie. The cherry tree is my dad’s and he had not had the tree long enough to get cherries when he had his stroke. This is the second summer of harvestable cherries. That’s just some backstory to why I wanted to make a cherry pie. Cherry pie is my dad’s favorite. I wanted to take some into the facility he lives in so he could eat it.

I had, of course, enlisted the help of my daughters (and attempted to enlist a nephew) in the picking and pitting process. They were less enthusiastic about helping me make the filling after all of the pitting, so I did the rest mostly on my own.

The results were outstanding! I could have just eaten the pie filling without the crust it was wonderful. I do think I will cut the sugar by a little bit the next time, as the 1 ½ cups seemed a little too sweet. The daughters loved the pie, my co-workers loved the pie (and one of them doesn’t like pie), and most importantly my dad loved the pie. He ate every bit of the extra large slice I took him. That’s what it was all about it, seeing him enjoy the cherries from the tree he had planted and knowing that this was his favorite! I’m also delighted that no one judged my pie by its cover. Not the prettiest crust I’ve ever made.

This recipe is definitely a keeper for next summer when it’s time to pick cherries! If you have some cherries that you want to find whip into a pie, this is a great way to use them.

Ingredients

Instructions

Place cherries in medium saucepan and place over heat. Cover. After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat.

In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract, if desired, and mix.

Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water, too thin, add a little more cornstarch.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan.

Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot with butter. Moisten edge of bottom crust. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie. Make a slit in the middle of the crust for steam to escape. Sprinkle with sugar. Bake for about 50 minutes.

I cheat about 50% of the time. I have had great success with pie crust and then the very next time I make one… it turns out like THIS one! Oh, and pitting cherries… use a drinking straw. Easiest thing I’ve ever tried.